Month: April 2024

About 1 in 5 Americans live in a rural area where they are just as likely to have mental health challenges as those living in or near cities. Unfortunately, rural Americans may not have access to the same mental health resources as others. In fact, about 60% of people in rural or remote areas live where there is a shortage of mental health services. And there are other barriers to treatment in these areas. Travel can be an issue. Even if you can find a provider, you may have to travel a very long way to reach them, says psychologist ... Read more

A landmark 1976 U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Estelle v. Gamble) makes incarcerated people the only group in the United States with a protected constitutional right to health care. But the exact nature of that health care is open to interpretation. For example, in the late 1970s, Jorge Renaud was serving 27 years in a Texas state prison when he somehow caught his head in the mechanical door to his cell. The incident almost severed his ear from his head. Renaud, now national criminal justice director of Latino Justice, a civil rights group, recalls that when he got to the infirmary, ... Read more

Cinque Terre is world famous for its breathtaking beauty – and even inspired Disney film Luca. Its name which translates to “five lands” and includes five gorgeous fishing villages on Italy’s northwest coast with candy-coloured houses, outrageously stunning views and plenty of places to enjoy food and drink. But its masses of tourists might be caught out over the next few days by a strict new rule that’s being introduced. Anyone planning the picturesque walk in the next few days will be restricted by the direction of travel – as one of the paths between the five villages will only be ... Read more

Majorca has announced plans to monitor British mobile phones this summer. The surveillance tactic is part of a new strategy to combat overtourism, amid growing anger from locals on the largest Balearic Island. Opposition parties have criticised the plans, which will use the number of phones to measure beach overcrowding. They agree that the problem of mass tourism has to be dealt with but claim the beach monitoring proposal will not solve the crisis. The plan will cover popular tourist spots such as the Deya viewpoint and several beaches so the island can “better manage tourist success”. The ruling People’s ... Read more

When you find out that your partner has prostate cancer, both of you probably have a lot of questions about what comes next. There will be plenty you need to talk about. But what do you say — and what shouldn’t you say — as you face the disease together? Before you choose your words, focus on the “together” part of this. Your partner will benefit greatly by you being at his side. Go to his appointments with him and be supportive. “If the man has a partner, I always encourage that partner to be there,” says urologist Jesse Mills, ... Read more

April 26, 2024 – Before there was Ozempic, Wegovy, or Zepbound, there were cost-friendly, safe, and effective weight loss drugs. FDA-approved obesity medication like orlistat (brand name: Xenical), phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia), and naltrexone/bupropion extended release (Contrave) have been on the market for decades. “Some older obesity medications go all the way back to the ’50s and ’60s – like phentermine, which is still one of the most widely prescribed medications in the world,” said Anthony Auriemma, MD, medical director of Ascension Illinois Weight Loss Solutions. While newer GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) often lead to greater degrees of weight loss, the benefits of more ... Read more

Many of the things that make rural living appealing to some – the remoteness, the absence of crowds, the simplicity – can make health care more difficult. Choices for doctors may be limited and health care facilities can be miles away. For some care, you may need to plan days or more in advance. So while it’s always a good idea to look ahead for your health care needs, it can be especially important in a rural community. “It’s better to establish care before you need it,” says Kevin Bennett, director for the Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare, University ... Read more

Maybe you know a smoker who never exercises and is living happily into old age. Or perhaps you read about a veggie-loving marathon runner who had a heart attack in middle age. These kinds of stories can’t help but make you think: If your health is simply written into your genes, what’s the point of all that exercise and healthy eating? Why not just do what you want? But, says Laura Zimmermann, MD, medical director of the Rush University Prevention Center, these stories stick with us because they are unusual. They are examples of what scientists call “outliers.” The reality ... Read more

You may see them on your drive to work, while walking your dog at the park, or at intersections with crumpled signs requesting help. They are people without homes, sometimes even without shelter for the night. There are more than half a million people homeless in the U.S. in any 12-month period, and almost 200,000 of them sleep without shelter on any given night. “I think COVID made people more aware of the issue of homelessness,” says Steve Berg, vice president for programs and policy at the National Alliance to End Homelessness in Washington, DC. “Everyone was told to stay ... Read more

After prosecutors’s lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch and kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump’s hush money trial are poised Friday to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election. David Pecker will return to the witness stand for the fourth day as defence attorneys try to poke holes in the testimony of the former National Enquirer publisher, who has described helping bury embarrassing stories Trump feared could hurt his campaign. It will cap a consequential week in the ... Read more